As Perfect As Our Life Can Be
by ElStark
Summary: "Derek," Derek hummed in askance still more in dreamland that awake, "I'm afraid" Derek instantly tightened his grip and tried to bring Stiles even closer, succeeding in only squashing his nose to Stiles' cheek.


**As Perfect As Our Life Can Be**

Stiles had been staring at the corkboard without pause or even turn to look at something else for at least an hour. He was going through all the photos and bit of information pinned on the board over and over again, muttering to himself and try to figure it _all_ out. He hadn't slept properly for at least a week. Derek knows because lately when he'd wake up he would find him nodding off with his back resting on the foot of the bed, still facing the board, or sprawled on the floor in some weird angle, always somehow facing the board; Stiles said that it was so to be able to see in different perspectives.

But tonight Derek wasn't having any of it. "Stiles" he called, but Stiles only held up a finger as to say _wait_ , and continued to mumble to himself.

" _Stiles_."

Stiles sighed and finally turned. He looked exhausted, purple bruises under his eyes as evidence of his lack of sleep and the stress he had put himself under. Derek's stomach clenched. He patted the empty side of their bed "Come here."

Stiles shook his head and started to tell him that he still had to figure _this_ _thing_ out, Derek interrupted him with another "Stiles" and a stern look.

Stiles sighed again and lazily made his way to the bed. Derek raised the covers so that Stiles could climb in, and pulled him by the waist so that he was close enough to nuzzle his neck.

Stiles was thinking way too much for someone that was supposed to sleep, Derek could tell because he was still tense, a nervous energy still cruising through his body so Derek pinched his side making Stiles yelp. Derek brought their faces close enough until he could kiss his jaw "Stop." Derek started, kissing him on the nose "Thinking." he commanded kissing Stiles' eyelids closed.

Stiles huffed out a laugh "Do you have any idea who are you talking to?"

Derek didn't dignified the question with an answer and just brought their mouth together, kissing him slowly and lazily until he was sure that Stiles had relaxed enough to try to sleep.

Derek had started to drift off, still holding Stiles close enough so that their foreheads were touching, when Stiles whispered his name "Derek," Derek hummed in askance still more in dreamland that awake, "I'm afraid" Derek instantly tightened his grip and tried to bring Stiles even closer, succeeding in only squashing his nose to Stiles' cheek.

"Of what?" Derek whispered back.

Stiles tried to shrunk himself, bringing his knees up to hug them, like he wanted to make himself as small as possible and protect himself from whatever he was afraid of. "Of not being able to figure this out".

"You will," Derek reassured him, still not opening his eyes "You always do."

"But what if this time I don't?" Stiles countered, "I feel like I've been working on this for ages and I'm nowhere near on finding a solution" Stiles blew out a breath "I feel useless" he said in a small voice.

Derek frowned and opened his eyes then. He turned Stiles' head to him and kissed him hard, until Stiles was lose limbed and almost forgot what his name was "You're not useless." Derek said like the mere thought didn't make any sense "You're the one that found out about that flower that cured all the pack just one month ago and before that you're the one that was able to prepare the perfect concoction that saved Cora's life when even Deaton couldn't! And I could go on like this forever," Derek climbed on Stiles' so that he was straddling him and cupped Stiles' face, bringing his face close and looking at him intently in the eyes, so that there was no doubt about the truth of his words "The Pack would be nothing without you" he stroked Stiles' cheek with his thumb " _I_ would be nothing without you."

Stiles' gaze softened and he reached up to caress the soft stubble on Derek's jaw. "You'd be the sexy brooding, alpha wolf." Stiles informed him raising his eyebrows.

"Nothing that really matters." Derek corrected and Stiles rolled his eyes.

Stiles took Derek's face in his hands "I'm not going to comment on that, cuz otherwise I'm pretty sure this will end up in a fight. So Imma kiss you now." Stiles said and kissed him until their lungs begged for air. But even then kissed him some more.

When he next woke up, it was in a startle. Stiles was hurriedly scrambling out of bed and telling him excitedly that he had _dreamt_ the solution for their current supernatural situation. He was now jumping, limbs flying everywhere while he talked and talked.

Derek watched him with a dopy smile, sitting with hands behind his back to hold him up on the mattress. He had the stupid smile of someone that had just woken up and wasn't entirely sure of what was going on but was happy to see their loved ones happy and relaxed.

Derek was _so_ happy and relaxed that he didn't even raise an eyebrow when Stiles threw a shoe hitting Derek on the head and said exasperated but eager "Are you even listening to me?"

Derek fell back on the bed and sighed, smile still in place and listened to his mate calling every single member of their pack to tell them how much of a genius he was and that they better give him some awesome presents when everything would be over.

Then Stiles jumped on the bed again, straddling Derek and kissed every bit of flesh he could put his lips on.

Their life was far from _perfect_ , from a universal point of view, with the never-ending dangers they were forced to face risking their lives far more than anyone should.  
But while he felt the wet smacks of Stiles' lips on his face, he thought that now was pretty damn close.


End file.
